


Yesterday's Wounds

by MatchstickDhole



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Child Abandonment, Medical Experimentation, Medical Torture, Rescue!Pap, baby blaster au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-05-13 19:05:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5713672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchstickDhole/pseuds/MatchstickDhole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Many years ago, Papyrus was found in a dump. Now he is an adult who is about to find out a little more about his past when they find out the source of the barcode on his arm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been decades since a bone puppy was found in the dump. A skitterist, crying Pup that turned out to be able to shoot lasers and turn into a skeleton. Now at 22 years old, the pup had developed into an adult with bright smiles and brighter dreams. But at the moment, that smile seemed a bit faded.

“I’m not going to lie-” Undyne started, “I really don’t want you to go.” She could only imagine what sort of things this might drag up for Papyrus. “But you’re probably going to be needed in case-”

In case there was another skeleton like him, in case there was a hell beast hidden in the depths of the lab waiting to kill anything that would go after it’s master. They would need to fight fire with fire after all, Papyrus’ tried to brighten up his smile a little more.

 

“WELL!” he said, “IF THERE ARE ANY OTHERS, I AM SURE I WILL BE ABLE TO GET TO THEM. I AM SURE THEY-”

“No, you don’t get it. Unlike you they have probably been screwed up to 11.” Papyrus now frowned, if there were any other monsters like him in the labs they would need him as a friend more than anything. He couldn’t think of them as being ‘screwed up to 11’ he could only think of someone who was stuck in a lab their entire life. He looked down at his arm- which had a clean bandage wrapped around it, and underneath that a barcode and serial number. 

The same barcode that took years to track down the creator of, and it took the help of Alphys-the assistant of the Royal Scientist- to find the source. The Royal Scientist, W.D. Gaster. Turns out he had a section of the lab that he allowed no one else to enter. And today- they were going to force themselves in.

–

Papyrus had expected to run into another skeleton like him, but he never actually thought it would happen. It was in an observation room with a few blankets that was of an odd material and nothing else. The Blaster in front of him was small and stocky, they were wearing dingy gray scrubs, a bite mask and for lack of a better term- harness with a chain attached to it leading up to a wall. It seemed that even though this one was locked up, Gaster didn’t trust it not to attack at whim if someone were to enter the room. Papyrus held his hands up trying to show he wasn’t going to hurt the other.

“ITS ALRIGHT!” he said, “I’M HERE TO BE YOUR FRIEND! IN FACT MY FRIENDS WANT TO HELP. TURNS OUT THE MAN WHO KEPT YOU HERE WAS DOING SOME VERY BAD THINGS.” Well, anyone could see that, they saw some of the other experiments in these halls, weapons and DT experiments, medical science gone wrong. 

Papyrus didn’t know when the other’s eye lit up if he was relieved that Gaster kept all these safetys on or even more disgusted. That someone was locked up in here like a rabid animal. But, if the mask wasn’t on people could have been hurt if the blast was like his own. 

“I’M LIKE YOU.” Papyrus breathed out taking off the bandage and pressing his arm against the window, praying that the other one could read- or could recognize the code. “I SOMEHOW GOT OUT?” The other’s eye went wide as it stopped glowing suddenly as it backed into a corner. He could almost hear it whimper as he watched them shift into a bipedal form. The mask shifted to fit the new face. The skeleton was small- but looked older than Papyrus. Then he heard him speak.

“g-get out of here.” his voice was rough, unused and mostly mumbled from the bite mask not allowing much movement. “and stay out!” Papyrus was able to catch the experiment number on the other’s arm. The skeleton was an older experiment- which meant that they could know how he got out.

“NO. I CAN’T DO THAT, NOT WITHOUT YOU. I’M PAPYRUS, WHATS YOUR NAME?” he was going to get this one to come out. The other skeleton wasn’t going to respond from the looks of it, in fact, he now looked like he was doing his best not to look at Papyrus. Papyrus could also see the shiver in the other skeleton’s back.

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO TELL ME NOW! BUT WOWIEE, I WANT TO KNOW MY FRIEND’S NAME. I CAN’T JUST CALL YOU ‘FRIEND’ BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE CALLED THAT- I WON’T ARGUE WITH YOU FRIEND.”

He heard Undyne shout from another room that Gaster was a sick fuck.

“UH, THATS MY OTHER FRIEND. UNDYNE. SHE IS HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD! SHE IS FRIENDS WITH DR. ALPHYS. WE’RE GOING TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE.”

“no they won’t.” he heard the other skeleton say. “just get out of here before he gets you back in here.” 

“HE ISN’T COMING BACK IN HERE. HE IS UNDER ARREST.”

That made the other skeleton tense up more and shiver more.

“KING ASGORE WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE EVIDENCE OF GASTER’S WRONG DOINGS MADE SURE HE WAS ARRESTED! THIS IS A RAID, YOU’RE SAFE! I PROMISE.”

The other kept tense.

“JUST- TRUST ME ON THIS OKAY? I PROMISE YOU’LL BE OUT OF HERE SOON. ARE YOU HUNGRY? I GOT SPAGHETTI.” then he realized, the other probably couldn’t eat the spaghetti through the bitemask. “I’LL GET YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK THEN. WHAT DO YOU LIKE?”

No response.

“SODA? THERE IS A VENDING MACHINE IN THE NEWER PART OF THE LAB. IT HAS SODA, JUICE, COFFEE?”

No response.

“WATER? I’LL GET YOU SOME WATER. EVERYONE LOVES WATER.” A long pause, the skeleton still had his back turned to him. “WATER. ITS DELICIOUS AND CLEAN.”

They needed to get the other out of the room. And find out his name. And so many other things, and Papyrus wondered if he had stayed here if he would have ended up like this. Scared and locked up like a prisoner.

Alphys and Undyne were looking at notes, as Undyne looked over at Papyrus. “Well, at least we didn’t have to fight anything, but wow, Gaster is sick.” She held up a file and noticed Papyrus expression.

“So- I’m guessing you couldn’t make friends with the other skeleton?” When they had found the other skeleton, they all figured it would be best to let Papyrus handle it, that perhaps having someone similar would help.

“HE TOLD ME TO STAY OUT. BUT I’M NOT GOING TO LET THAT DETER ME! I’M GOING TO GET HIM A BOTTLE OF WATER.”

Undyne frowned a little, her fingertips tapping on the table. “Lets figure out how to get him out. At least it looks like he would be unable to attack anyone from what Alphys read.”

“y-Yeah. He is under a-a lot of anti-magic restraints and physical restraints, w-which I am sure you saw. A-anything he could do is only for show.”

That would explain the eye and the shifting.

“CAN YOU FIND HIS NAME? HE WON’T TELL ME IT.”

Alphys shook her head. “His f-file doesn’t list one.”

“HOW OLD IS HE?”

“26.” Papyrus nodded so this other skeleton was older than him, and Papyrus felt a bit of satisfaction that perhaps this would help him find out what happened with him. “A-and we f-found your n-number in his file.”

This made Papyrus tense up. What? Alphys realized she just said this aloud. She didn’t mean to, after all, what she found was going to be a bit rought to explain to Papyrus.

“U-um. Ummm. It seems you were made from the same donor soul.” They were still looking to find out who would donate parts of their soul to create test subjects. While Papyrus stood there in silence for a few moments pondering over this. Undyne noticed how silent Papyrus was, maybe he was upset about this? That he had a brother that was created to be a test subject also that he didn’t know about for all these years. Undyne reached her hand up so she could say something to Papyrus about this sudden revelation.

Papyrus suddenly turned around and they heard him shout from the room over. “WOWIEE! TURNS OUT WE’RE MORE THAN FRIENDS! WE’RE BROTHERS! I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A BROTHER!” 

Of course nothing would stop Papyrus’ endless optimism.


	2. Chapter 2

Papyrus suddenly turned around and they heard him shout from the room over. “WOWIEE! TURNS OUT WE’RE MORE THAN FRIENDS! WE’RE BROTHERS! I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A BROTHER!” 

Of course nothing would stop Papyrus’ endless optimism. He looked at the smaller skeleton in the observation room who would have jumped out of his skin if he had any at Papyrus suddenly coming in and announcing they were brothers- he had thought that Papyrus had left to get some water. He was staring at Papyrus with his eyes wide as the other went up to the observation window.

“HAVE YOU WANTED A BROTHER?”

No response besides the other facing the wall again.

“I AM SURE YOU’RE OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THIS. I AM TOO. BUT, NOW WE NEED TO WORK ON IMPORTANT THINGS. LIKE GETTING YOU OUT OF THE ROOM.”

Papyrus was hoping that would cause some sort of stir to the smaller skeleton, but instead nothing. He looked over to the pin pad and noticed that a few of the numbers were significantly more faded than the others. A puzzle.

“DO YOU LIKE PUZZLES?”

No response.

“I DO, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A NUMBER PUZZLE ON OUR HANDS. DO YOU WANT TO HELP SOLVE IT?” he pulled a pad and paper out of his satchel and wrote down the numbers that were faded. “WE CAN FIND OUT WHICH NUMBER PATTERN IS RIGHT BECAUSE ONCE THE PUZZLE IS SOLVED, YOU CAN GET OUT.” 

He put the pad of paper against the window in hopes the sound and basic curiosity would make the other turn around again. If he had lips, at the moment he would have been chewing on the bottom one. Papyrus wanted to sigh at this, but he couldn’t let his newly discovered brother be brought down by something like this. He had made it this far- they had made it this far.

“MAYBE YOU’RE THIRSTY, I DID PROMISE YOU SOME WATER DIDN’T I? WHAT SORT OF BROTHER WOULD I BE IF I DIDN’T BRING YOU IT, RIGHT? NYEH HEH HEH.” Papyrus took a deep breath and walked back out to where Undyne and Alphys were. He handed Undyne the piece of paper with the numbers on it.

“Whats this?” she questioned with a frown.

“I NOTICED THE DOOR WORKED ON A PIN-PAD SYSTEM, THESE WERE THE NUMBERS MOST FADED ON THEM SO I ASSUMED THEY HAD BEEN PUNCHED IN THE MOST. SO IF WE FIGURE OUT THE COMBINATION, WE CAN GET HIM OUT.”

The head of the Royal Guard groaned, she hated puzzles. 

“Ugh! UGH!” She said sitting down on the floor amidst fallen paperwork and file-folders , “Why are you telling me this and not punching in numbers then?”

“I PROMISED TO GET HIM A BOTTLE OF WATER SO I FIGURED SOMEONE ELSE COULD START PUNCHING THEM IN WHILE I’M OUT GETTING IT.” Papyrus stood his ground firm and true on this, also he needed a moment to think. Also, he did say he would get his brother some water. “IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE OF ME TO BREAK MY FIRST PROMISE TO HIM.” Undyne deflated a little at that as she looked at the numbers Papyrus wrote down. She could barely keep the frown on her face from changing into a full on grimace. 

“Al-” She looked up at Papyrus’ back as he was walking down the hall with that same straight back he always did. “Do you think this other Skeleton will ever get back in with monsters or that he is.. ya know.” she made a vague motion with her hand.

“w-Well, t-this is the first time something l-like this has happened.” At least if it has happened before it had not been discovered. “S-Sooo, um, we kinda have to play it by ear?” Undyne groaned loudly, then punched the floor leaving a sizeable dent in her wake.

“I’m going to break in Gaster’s face! And then heal it and break it in again! His Ancestors will feel it by the time I am done with him!” She growled as looked back at the numbers written out.

“UGH! UUUGH! There can be like 5000 possibilities to what these numbers could be.” The urge to throw the paper and just punch the pinpad was rising.

“Um. If it helps- the pin pads only do four number combinations?” Alphys looked up from the files and went over to sit next to Undyne. “M-Maybe we can figure it out together? L-Lets see, 2,4,6,8. H-he probably didn’t use the same number more than once? And um, it’s usually bad password making to have numbers be in sequential order- so that helps?” She grabbed a pen so they could start writing out combinations, they weren’t going to start pushing them in until Papyrus came back. Again- because this was his story just as much as the other skeleton’s rescue.

-

A brother. That quite small skeleton who refused to give him his name was his brother. Made from the same soul. Papyrus brought his hand up over his chest, wondering if when someone met their family like this if they were supposed to feel nervous.

He shouldn’t feel nervous, this was his brother! This was the person who he was going to bring home and get to know. They will celebrate Gyftmas together, they will have dinners together and watch MTT together. They were going to have a future together.

He was going to introduce him to Grillby and the Dog Guard, show him the wishing room.

Papyrus wanted to rescue people, he wanted to make sure they got the lives they deserved. Where that even if they were Underground now, one day they will all get to go above ground.

He wondered if the other skeleton even seen outside the labs before. If the ‘Underground’ to him was just as much of a dream as the surface was to the rest of monster kind. He paused as he looked at a room filled with small cages and rats of various health in it. He clenched his fists.

Maybe they could find the rats homes.

He finally made it to a vending machine and pulled out a few g and put it in the machine. The silence of his brother in the room across the labs was so deafening Papyrus couldn’t hear the machine whirr to life and the bottle of water drop out. He automatically reached for it and loosened the bottle cap. Find the rats a home, bring his brother to a home he never knew he had.

Papyrus looked at all the rats again. “DON’T WORRY, YOU WON’T BE HURT AGAIN.”

–

“This. IS. STUPID!” Undyne shouted as she threw the pad against the wall. “I’m just going to break the glass and get him out of there!” she generated a spear as Alphys pretty much threw herself at the Royal Guardsmen.

“N-No! We don’t know what that might do!” Alphys said as she hung limply from Undyne’s arm. Papyrus came in to the scene.

“AH, WHATS GOING ON HERE?”

“I’m going to- BREAK HIM OUT!” Papyrus’ eyes widened, even he knew that would be a very bad no good idea. Because at best they might get his brother out but terrify the life out of him, and at worse, literally kill him. 

“LETS TRY SOME OF THE PIN NUMBERS FIRST- WHAT DID YOU THINK OF?”

“I thought of BREAKING THE WINDOW OPEN.” She shouted at the top of her lungs before throwing her spear down- the glowing spear fading into nothingness before she stormed into the other room, and posed at the observation room.

“HEY! WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS! WE’RE GOING TO GET YOU OUT SO STOP HIDING IN THE CORNER!”

Papyrus and Alphys quickly followed after her into the room. Papyrus knew this wasn’t a good idea, but they had never experienced something like this before. Alphys was sure that Undyne’s train of thought right now was to be a hot-blooded shonen-anime hero and fill the skeleton with hope of a brighter future.

“WHY DON’T WE LET HIM DRINK SOMETHING FIRST AND THEN WE - I MEAN I’LL- WORK ON THE PUZZLE?” Papyrus responded. “DON’T DESTROY THE WINDOW!”

Papyrus saw the smaller skeleton still doing no response, except of course, curling up tighter. He was scared wasn’t he? This wasn’t one of Undyne’s animes, people don’t follow a script. Papyrus watched him shift again and now was trying to go smaller, tail tucked and Papyrus heard a whimper.

“HE IS SCARED. STOP IT NOW.”

The sternness in his voice caused the pair to stop, gawking at Papyrus in open surprise fora moment. Undyne and Alphys was used to a gentle tone even with how Papyrus’ normally loud volume. Papyrus went to the door and rolled the water bottle under through a food slot. It gently tapped the wall next to the Blaster.

“SORRY ABOUT THAT, THIS IS UNDYNE AND ALPHYS! THEY ARE MY FRIENDS AND THEREFORE BY EXTENSION YOUR FRIENDS TOO!” Papyrus crouched down by the food slot. “UNDYNE GETS EXCITED EASILY AND WANTS TO HELP EVERYONE. SHE IS A HEROINE! ALPHYS IS ONE TOO- SHE HELPED FIND YOU. THEY BOTH WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET IN HERE. SO ITS OKAY TO BE SCARED, JUST TRY AND TRUST US? OR LET US PROVE THAT WE CAN BE TRUSTED.”

“YEAH!” Undyne said also crouching by the door, elbowing Papyrus aside. “We’re going to solve this stupid puzzle and then we’re getting out of this creepshow!”

And with that she jumped back from the crouch and to the pinpad. A Wide grin appeared on her features as she looked at the numbers and started to push on the pinpad.

“2-2-”

“No one would set their pin number as-” Alphys started trying to keep Undyne from just pushing in things that wouldn’t work.

“Gotta start from the beginning NERDS. 2!”

Papyrus slapped a hand to his forehead as Undyne pushed in the final 2.

With the final ‘2’, the door beeped and unlocked. The three gawked at it for a moment before Papyrus spoke. He loved puzzles, he also loved the Internet, and with such mutual loves and seeing what numbers were most faded on the pinpad, he had to ask this question aloud about the brightest mind in all the underground.

“DID HE REALLY SET HIS PASSWORD TO THIS DOOR AS 2222?”


	3. Chapter 3

“Oh. My. God.” Alphys said, she had worked under this man for years either as an assistant, a technician or an intern. Today she had found out more about W.D. Gaster than she ever imagined she would, like that he was doing unauthorized experiments on a monster that was pretty much torture, and was very bad at passwords. She held her claws out, looking at the peace sign she made when doing the number 2. His password was also AAAA in his sign. She took a long deep breath as Undyne marched into the observation room.

“Alright, now time to unhook you and get you out of here.” She got down near the smaller skeleton- now in a quadrupedal form. Before she could reach the chain on the harness, the blaster turned around quickly, lunging at her. She jumped back quickly. “Hey- woah- I’m just unhooking you so we can get you out of here. Pap! Help me with this.”

The beast growled at that, then lunged at the door despite the chain keeping him back. Papyrus took a step forward, his brother seemed to boil over as he growled and barked more. This time the barking was aimed at Papyrus, ignoring Undyne completely. Alphys backed up away from the door.

“BROTHER, PLEASE. LET US DO THIS.” Papyrus requested, staying at the door. He noticed there was enough length for the other to have easily reached for Undyne, but he was focusing on him. Another shift now back to a bipedal, the chain was still taunt to the harness

“get out of here. i don’t want see- don’t want to see you.” That struck Papyrus for a long moment. “stay out of here.” The smaller’s voice was wavering though. He sounded scared. “go. bye. exit. leave. out.” The skeleton was scared of him? But they were brothers right? He is helping him get out. Could it be because Gaster was also a skeleton and so he thought they would do the same thing the scientist had.

Papyrus felt naive for moment- no he felt worse than that. He felt purely ignorant of how he planned these moments out. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his side. Didn’t Grillby one time mentioned when he was younger that he would be scared of Doctors? So of course this other Skeleton would be scared of someone who looked not only like what was probably the only Doctor they had seen, but probably the only other Skeleton they had ever seen. 

“IT IS OKAY!” Papyrus said, deciding right at that moment what to do. “I WILL LEAVE FOR A WHILE. LET YOU GET USED TO EVERYTHING GOING ON. THIS IS QUITE UPSETTING FOR ANYONE. I WILL HELP ALPHYS IF YOU WANT OR NEED ANYTHING.” He nodded at Undyne then waved at his brother, who seemed to relax when he heard that he would leave. He put his satchel on the ground near the door, just incase Undyne needed anything from it. “EVERYTHING IS OKAY.” he said backing away slowly and then leaving back to the file room.

Alphys watched Papyrus deflate a little once he came in and sat down next to Undyne’s dent on the ground. He couldn’t help Alphys, and he knew it. What she was doing was beyond him as she was working on going through the files and roughly translating it from Gaster’s mess to something that everyone could understand. He picked up one folder and inside was of course a mess of writing he couldn’t read, and pictures. He wish he didn’t see these, it was a series of photographs of his brother’s hands.

In each one the hands were side by side, the right hand was broken in various places to different degrees, the left was left alone. Pins were put into the right hand, pictures of the surgery, pictures of the healing process, the removal. Papyrus shut the folder quickly.

He remember when he broke his metacarpal when he was younger. He broke it when play-fighting with Undyne. He remembered getting the pins just like those, and Grillby treating him to nice cream afterwards even though he wasn’t up to it. Did he benefit from his brother getting hurt somehow? Did Gaster just want to see how one would heal with a broken hand? He could hear his own magic rushing into his skull loudly. He wringed his hands together, he imagined right where his own fracture was as a child. He remembered how his own pins felt.

Alphys was looking at him, sadly. She must had seen that folder already. “I-I’m sorry, I sh-should have warned you. S-some of these are bad.” A pause. “W-well all of them are bad. G-Gaster took a lot of notes.” Papyrus worked on steadying himself. This was the life he somehow made it out of. Would his brother’s hand not been broken if he were here? Would both of them have broken hands if he were?

No, he could not think like that. He had to stop himself right there. He knew he could not dwell on the what-ifs of this situation. Holding on to those, looking at those, they would only hurt him. They wouldn’t prevent his brother from having to go through it. Still though, the question was going to pop up a lot and he knew it. He was tied to this story also, he needed to redirect his thinking.

Instead of asking himself ‘What if-?’ he needed to ask himself ‘What did-?’ He needed to challenge himself when he started to think that way. He remembered when he was learning how to do rescue work; about the things he was told about what he could tell survivors of bad things to do in case they wanted to know.

Challenge his what if thinking.

Remember what has helped him get through bad times before.

Take Action. 

That was much easier said than done.

“WELL, WE ALL KNEW WE WOULD SEE SOMETHING BAD WHEN WE CAME IN. LUCKILY GASTER DID KEEP A HEAVY PAPER TRAIL AND DID TAKE PHOTOS. BECAUSE THAT MEANS WHEN THE TIME COMES, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WORM HIS WAY OUT OF JUSTICE. IN FACT, HE WILL ONLY WORM HIS WAY IN MORE SO! BECAUSE THATS WHAT HE IS. A WORM.”

His soul ached, the ache spread to his sternum and around his chest like he was being crushed against a wall. A memory of pain in his hand. Undyne didn’t want him to come in the first place.

“DO YOU THINK THE RATS HAVE BEEN FED TODAY? PERHAPS I SHOULD GO FEED THEM.” He needed to do something while he was here. He didn’t need to fight like they thought he would need to. When he was out on the field needing to help people, some prefered his blaster form, considering it more comforting, his brother didn’t even want him around. Alphys stood up from the files she was looking at.

“T-thats a great idea! L-lets go feed the rats.” She peered past the door and saw Undyne sitting now again in the observation room. Papyrus’ brother had moved back to the corner and was gently rocking himself. “A-After all, I’m sure they k-know whats going on too! R-Rats are very smart.”

Down the hall they went in silence. Alphys knew she would have to go through the notes for the rats also too. She would have to get a team together that she knew would be unbiased to present the files to Asgore, even though all the evidence in the world was pointing at how Gaster- Gaster wasn’t the man everyone thought he was.

Her Mentor was quiet yet enthusiastic about helping monsterkind. He would always go back to his notes to see if there was a way he could make the CORE work better, he would happily congratulate anyone on the team who improved on something ANYONE had done- including if it proved that he didn’t have the best plan for a certain task. How he liked being proven wrong because that meant that science was advancing.

She thought his personal lab was just where he lived and just did things with his own groups of rats. Not that behind the locked doors he had experimented on children. But then again, she did remember when he had suggested to her that for a set of DT experiments they get donations of monsters that had ‘fallen down’. Told her how in the human world, people would donate the bodies of their family members if it meant that science could be advanced. Alphys then remembered how he patted her on the head and said he could tell she was nervous about the idea, but one day- she will understand the need for things like that. That she was young still.

How could he show his face like that? If…if she were him, she would have hidden away her in lab hating herself for hurting others like this. There were ethics to science, ethics to medicine.

“I’M SORRY.” Papyrus said, breaking Alphy’s train of thought. “I- I KNOW YOU LOOKED UP TO HIM. YOU’RE VERY BRAVE YOU KNOW, WILLING TO STAND UP AGAINST WHAT HE DID AND GETTING US HERE. WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT YOU.”

Alphys looked at Papyrus, he was apologizing to her? She felt it should have been the other way around. That she should have been more aware of what Gaster was doing. She shivered.

“D-don’t be sorry!” She squeaked out hurridly. “T-This is something that needed to be done! As his assistant- I-I should have questioned him! Asked about his private experiments! Be-been more involved! I-I’m sorry, not just to you and your brother, b-but to all monsters! To everyone that worked under him. We all were too busy looking up at him, we didn’t notice his clay feet.” Or refused to think he might have had anything else going on.

They made it to the rat room and Alphys turned on the lights. She went over and started reading the labels on the cages. “T-these over here seem to be control groups. S-so you might want to feed these. I-I’ll take care of the others.”

She found where Gaster kept the food and got angry.

She at that moment, looking back on it, would have been less angry if the rats seemed to be given subpar food- because then it would at least match what was going on with Papyrus’ brother. But inside the drawer was the rat food, and seeds for the rats to be able to burrow and hide away. Even a bag of treats for them. They were kept in groups for social interactions.

The Brother was left alone.  
The Brother was given- according to the notes- RUFs or FBFs*.   
The Brother was given no stimulation outside of the experiments.

He cared more for these rats than the monster down the hall. He would have cared for the rats more than Papyrus. She clenched her claws, feeling them dig into her palms. She had never before in her life been so angry or sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RUFs and FBFs are types of high-calorie food ration. Both are kind of…pasty. And pretty cheap for the nutritional value they provide.


	4. Chapter 4

This had been a setup, and Gaster was not going to get mad about it. He simply finished his cup of tea and offered his hands out to the Royal Guard who had told him he was under arrest. A part of him knew and accepted that perhaps one day this day would come and his fellows would refuse to accept that this was for the greater good. Asgore was looking at him with sad eyes, heart sinking as he watched his friend rise. His hands were shaking, sloshing tea from his cup on to the table.

“Wing Ding. Do you not have anything to say about these accusations?” Asgore questioned softly. The Royal Scientist had been his friend for years- since they were on the surface as children. He was there for the birth of Asriel. He gave his children small gifts when they were alive. When Asgore and his wife spread Asriel’s dust over the toys, Gaster was there with a gentle hand on his back.

When Asgore declared war in frustration and sadness, Gaster had told him he would find a way to destroy the barrier, he told Toriel before she exiled herself that he would do his best to help Monsterkind without any bloodshed. Yet, here was the skeleton, accused of crimes against Monsterainity. Crimes in medical ethics. Crimes against children. And he didn’t even flinch. 

He had hoped that when he was given the evidence of what the skeleton across from him had supposedly done and granted permission for the raid, that it would all be wrong. That someone else was doing these experiments on living monsters- on children. That Gaster would be shocked or fight back or do anything really. Not sit there drinking Golden Flower tea while the Royal Guard read him his rights and the accusations. Not to gently place the china onto the table and stand up offering his hands out. Asgore prayed that Gaster would say something in his defense. That the man would defend himself, tell the world that Undyne was wrong.

“They are true to an extent.” The man said, he was speaking in the monster language versus that odd one that few people could understand. “And I simply feel that the law is confused to what is going on. Which is understandable.” Gaster stood tall and proud, his hands making his signs as he spoke despite being cuffed together. “After all, law can not always keep up with science and what happens to advance it.” 

How calm Gaster was. The sunlight was dancing across his features, adding splashes of gold to his clothes and face, making him look like a gentle monster instead of a creature who-. Asgore set his own cup down and stood up.

“Although, I would like to contact my lawyer. But I am sure you understand that as you have to start building a court of unbiased individuals. I do wish you the best of luck, I can understand how that will be hard for you. I shall see you later, my Friend.” Gaster smiled at him, his smile went to his eyes. He let himself be turned around and escorted out, he didn’t seem to care everyone was staring at him. That all the monsters in New Home knew who he was, and knew he must have done some terribly wrong to be taken out like this.

Asgore wanted to cry, instead he stood up and went to his personal office so he could start forming the court that will try one Wing Ding Gaster.

–

Undyne watched the smaller monster go back to his corner and rock himself back and forth gently. His arms were wrapped around his person trying to soothe himself somehow. She went and grabbed Papyrus’ satchel and sat down near the blankets kept in the room. She knew these blankets, they were the kind they used in isolation rooms in the jail in the Capital. The tight stitching prevented shredding of the blanket.

Just a few blankets in this room. An isolation chamber all of its own. They were only supposed to use them for a few days at most, isolation could drive someone mad. Isolation chambers were only used when someone might be a threat to themselves or others, not to be used as a cage to keep a monster for their lives. Living beings needed basic things, they needed stimulus, they needed company, they needed groups to be in. They needed to know they were safe. Even if they were being ‘punished’ for a crime and trying to be taught to reform into something better than they were before.

But what could this monster have done to deserve to live in this small room. Nothing. All he did was live. It made her blood boil, she wasn’t someone trained to rescue like Papyrus was. She knew how to get someone out of trouble then go stop the trouble. Papyrus was the one to provide the warmth and hope. He was a hero.

She opened up the bag to see what was inside, a container of spaghetti-magically kept warm, a flashlight, a multipurpose tool of some sort, a silvery emergency blanket, and a book of Junior Jumbles. Of course he would have some sort of puzzles on him.

“Want a blanket?” She asked the skeleton. “And maybe you could tell me your name-”

“no.” he shook his head, still rocking.

“You got to have a name, basic thing. I doubt you were just called WD.G series of letter and numbers all the time by the Doctor.”

The skeleton turned his head to look at her. Okay, maybe he was. She exhaled trying to think.

“OK, if you don’t tell us your name I’m just going to keep on guessing names until you tell me which one is right, got it Arial?” she will start with skeleton names. She would see if he responded to any of them outside of recognizing she was talking to or about him. Besides, if he didn’t have a name, perhaps this would allow him to think of one to call himself? Names are important, they allow people to know who they are at their very core, that despite everything it’s still them.

“So, what’s with the bite mask? Would you bite any of us if I took it off you? Well, I really don’t care if you bite me, I got thick scales after all.” she flexed as if trying to prove a point. “But, we need to get it off you, I don’t think you want to hurt anyone. I mean, I had been in your range for a while and you just sit there.” She realized it would need to be cut off, there was a lock in the back of it, perhaps just to keep the other from taking it off himself. Or perhaps he just didn’t think he could do it.

“So let me do it, Calibri.” She reached forward again, and was able to touch the skeleton who flinched at her touch. She moved to the back of the bite mask, it was fully locked. “Ok, its locked, but I am going to cut it off okay? Then we can burn it or something.” Well, they would have to keep it for evidence. The skeleton didn’t respond. She carefully generated a spear head and slipped the blade underneath the top loop of the mask.

The Skeleton was trying to stay still so he wouldn’t get hurt as the strap was snipped and it fell over and the entire unit slit down his face and to his neck. This made cutting the second loop easier as Undyne grabbed the mask and threw it out of the room.

“There! I bet you’re already feeling loads better with that thing off.” She moved to get a better look at the skeleton’s face now.

Even though he was Papyrus’ brother, he didn’t look much like him. And considering to her most skeletons looked alike, that was saying something. His features were more rounded, he had larger eye sockets, he had a smile on his face that she could already tell wouldn’t change- and despite that his eyes seemed sad. The smile didn’t reach his eyes, making it look hollow. It was always weird to her how skeletons could somehow be more expressive than monsters with flesh at times. 

He reached up to feel his face, looking a little surprised for a second. It was almost as if he forgot that there was something there besides the mask. He then reached for the bottle of water that Papyrus had rolled into the room earlier and finished opening it. Then he started to drink, thirstily. Once the bottle was empty, Undyne had expected him to put it to the side. What she didn’t expect was for him to stand up, walk to where the door was and set it by the frame. He then walked over to his blankets and laid down on them. It now seemed like- to Undyne at least- that he didn’t consider her a threat or that he just didn’t care that she was in here with him.

“Hey! Want me to undo the harness now? You can get out of here ya know?!” he just took the blankets and scooted closer to the wall. She exhaled, maybe he will let her do that next? Then another idea hit her as she grabbed the blanket that was previously in Papyrus satchel and set it next to the skeleton. “Well, if you refuse to be undone, at least use another blanket. You can’t be comfortable that way.”

No bed, no pillows. Just the blankets.

She then placed the empty satchel next to him also, perhaps he could use it as a pillow?

“I’ll get you a pillow too. That will feel good too.” She reached into her pocket and grabbed her cellphone, texting Papyrus. Perhaps giving into the other Skeleton’s more canine like instincts would help him warm up a little to them, and perhaps, more importantly, warm up to Papyrus. Get him used to Papyrus’ scent or something- Undyne knew Papyrus wanted to make friends with everyone, that he would bend over backwards to make sure people around him considered him their friend.

She also remembered him wishing for a sibling when they were younger, by SOUL or not. A friend for life and a larger family. She knew that Papyrus still had some scars from his childhood before he was found- even if he didn’t recognize it. That even though he said he didn’t remember anything, there were times when he would just pause and think, looking down at his ulna at the bandage. Then act like nothing had happened.

This was Papyrus’ brother and she was going to just let him hurt Papyrus, she was going to make sure that she lost her place as Papyrus’ BESTIE so this skeleton could take it and they could be besties and brothers for ever.

She watched the newer blanket get added to the blanket pile. Then she watched as the skeleton sat up and looked at the emergency blanket, he crinkled it a little and the spread it out on the floor.

“heh.” he chuckled just a little, Undyne wondered what he found so entertaining. She then realized, he was looking at his own fuzzy reflection in the blanket. He then pushed it into a corner working at turning it into a creasy ball, he was more curious in the blanket then his own rescue? She took another deep breath. This is why Papyrus did the people work, she wanted to yell at the smaller monster, shake him, let him know he was safe and he could now walk right out the lab door if he wanted too. Not- not investigate a freaking blanket. 

-

Papyrus scattered a few seeds across the bottom of a cage as he felt his cellphone beep in his pocket. He knew that series of beeps- a text from Undyne.

‘*Go get your pillow. Idc if you have to go across the underground just do it’ 

“WHAT AN ODD REQUEST.”


	5. Chapter 5

His pillow? Why would Undyne want his pillow? Perhaps she was planning on spending the night in the labs with his brother if he refused to move. So why not her pillow then? But at times like this it wasn’t his job to question the head of the royal guard as he put his phone into his pocket.

“UNDYNE NEEDS MY PILLOW.” He announced to Alphys, who was working on feeding some of the rats that had been experimented on. “PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE BETTER PILLOW PICKING OUT SKILLS THAN SHE.” Alphys blinked a little.

“T-That is an odd request, b-but I am sure she has a reason.” Papyrus waved to Alphys as he headed out of the lab. Maybe Undyne wanted him out of the lab so she and Alphys go deeper into files without upsetting him?

After all, Undyne did tell him that she didn’t want him to come here. He exited out of Gaster’s lab to the hall that lead to the Royal Labs. All the scientists were shaken up, there were guards everyone questioning people about Gaster and the experiments he had done. From what he could hear they all were just as oblivious as well, the rest of the Underground. He then exited from those to the lobby where there was a TV blaring and a small group of people surrounding it.

Metaton was on, the rectangular robot was wearing his burgundy suit and had his microphone posed dramatically near his speakerbox. The news ticker read: ROYAL SCIENTIST W.D GASTER ARRESTED. ACCUSED OF DISREGARDING MEDICAL ETHICS. TORTURE.

This was the first time Papyrus ever had a good look at the Royal Scientist, he was an elusive fellow who tried to stay out of the public eye. He was tall and thin- thin for a skeleton at least. He had two cracks running along his skull and stood proudly even with the cuffs on and two of the Guard escorting him. He wondered how Metaton even made it to the scene so quickly. Papyrus looked down at the ticker

‘NEXT UP ON COOKING WITH A KILLER ROBOT-’ For once Papyrus wasn’t interested in what was next on Cooking with a Killer Robot. He was interested in one of the few actual news reports in the Underground.

Papyrus stepped out of the building, he was sure crowds were going to start appearing soon, all curious to see what might come out of Gaster’s lab as evidence against the man. And at this moment, Papyrus decided he needed to move fast.

The change was easy for him, his clothes magicked to shift with him. Changing form was as easy as taking off his shoes, and at times like this- it helped with the feeling building up inside of him.

Anger.

And with that he took off with a gallop. He was large and thin compared to his brother’s form. He was sure if they stood next to each other the other wouldn’t even reach up to his shoulder. Maybe his brother grew to fit what he lived in, like he heard fish did.

Maybe if he had grown up like he did, he would be taller and longer. No- there was that ‘What if’ thinking again. He easily sprinted down the block passing a few monsters, many who were going to watch the news. Papyrus skidded into the Hotland areas, where he knew Alphys had her own lab set up. He paused to look at it when he got near it, he had seen her lab, studies on souls and robotics. He finally stopped at the riverboat where the Riverperson was humming to themselves.

Papyrus shifted back so he could fit on the boat, even though he wished he could run all the way to Snowdin, he knew that this would be quicker. Even though he had all this pent up energy boiling inside of him. Maybe while he was in Snowdin, he could take a moment just to- get rid of the energy. 

Normally the Riverperson would have something to say, sometimes about the Temmie village, sometimes just general questions or riddles. At the moment they were silent, no jovial conversation at all or any tra la la-ings, just the sound of water and finally arriving at his hometown.

Papyrus handed the Riverperson their payment as they shook their head. “I know you’re working right now, you’re going to have a lot to deal with in the upcoming months.” He just stared at that, wondering if this was a warning, or just letting him know he would be busy. You could never know with the other. Papyrus nodded as he turned and head down to Snowdin.

Snowdin was much different from the Capital, it was on the outskirts of everything, closest to the Ruins and ‘Home’. Thick blankets of snow that never melted- unless his Dad got too angry, a friendly community with kind people. This was the town that raised him. There was the Rock Family and Ice Wolf, and for once he didn’t wave at either. He could smell Cinnamon Bunnies being baked as he entered the main part of town, he was half tempted to turn one way and go to Grillby- the man who took him in and raised him. But he had a mission from Undyne, so he turned the other way to his home.

It was one of the nicer homes in Snowdin, after all, the owner of it was also owner of the only dining establishment in the town. Two story, Gyftmas lights on and a wreath on the door. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. He could see the marks his own claws made when he ran around on the wood floor, even a few long ones when he wouldn’t stop and just skid across the floor. He shut the door behind him as the weight of his happy childhood seemed to hit him again.

When he helped other people, there was always a small distance, where he would just feel compassion for the other person. Where he would want to not only take their feelings and understand them but try to elevate them to a higher plane. He felt himself sit down on the couch.

He loved doing rescue work, he loved doing service work. People would smile when they would see him come into the hospital as a quadiped and let children read to him or play fetch. Or when he would blast away rocks from a cave in and help bring an injured person to safety. He knew right then and there that there was something he could to do to help people.

He knew that terrible things happened in the Underground, despite everyone trying their best to keep everything somewhat hopeful. So why did this feel so suffocating? Skeletons did not need to breathe, but the motion of it was calming. In and out, stretching the ribcage out.

Even though he told himself that what-if thinking was bad, it kept on coming in as he looked around. Pictures of him growing up, memories of a happy childhood. Grillby did everything in his power to make sure he didn’t have to ever go through more than the pain of growing up. This was a home lined with happiness. His brother, grew up not knowing a home. Just a sterile lab and experiments. He stood up, he knew he couldn’t wallow on the couch as he headed up the stairs to his room.

His diploma hung on the wall along with a picture of him and Grillby from his graduation ceremony. A picture of him as a toddler in a Gyftmas box he crawled into. He was told he was such a happy baby. His brother had medical documentation and photos to show that he ever existed. Papyrus felt another tinge of guilt, that he should have even had a vaguest of memory of his brother. Papyrus made it to his room and tried to look back as far as he could in his memories. All of his memories were of him being here.

In Snowdin, with Grillby, playing with Fuku and Undyne. Chasing the Dog Guard as a pup and then trying to join them at work as a teenager and adult. Cooking lessons and wrestling with Undyne. Meeting Undyne in Waterfall and her trying to stand on him to get her homemade spear out of a higher ledge. They both fell into the swamp and Undyne was laughing so hard Papyrus had thought she was going to die.

He remember his claustrophobic fear that took years to get over. How he one time locked himself into the shed and how it took hours to find him. His therapist growing up thought that fear might have come from how he was found in a box with paper waste on him.

He made it into his bedroom, with a racecar bed and books on puzzles and action figures. Stacks of car magazines from the dump and his computer. His pillow.

Grillby told him the story of how he was found when he was younger. How the bartender needed an ice chest for a party he was catering. So he had decided to put on his raincoat and galoshes and pretty much every waterproof item he could and headed to the dump. When he arrived he heard a child crying in one of the dryer parts. He had tried to remember it, and just couldn’t. But he did remember being scared.

He grabbed his pillow and hugged it.

“I AM FEELING GUILTY FOR THINGS OUT OF MY CONTROL.” Papyrus announced to the empty room. “IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT I HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD WHILE OTHERS DID NOT.” Others. His brother. The words sounded painfully empty to him, as if they knew he was trying to argue with his feelings, which was hard to do. “I CAME FROM A HARD PLACE, BUT I GREW AND AM STRONGER FOR IT.”

A nagging voice inside of him asked if he really was stronger for it. He was only two years old when he was found.

“I AM STRONGER FOR IT.” he repeated. “MY HURT IS NOT LESSENED BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HURT MORE. PAIN IS NOT A CONTEST.”

He tried to force his shoulders into a relaxed pose as he hugged the pillow tighter, a fight between his shoulders and arms. He let go of the pillow letting it drop back on the bed.

“THIS TOO SHALL PASS. AND MY BROTHER WILL KNOW IT TOO! I WILL HELP HIM. I WILL MAKE SURE HE GETS JUSTICE.”

A pause.

“I WILL MAKE SURE I GET JUSTICE.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter might be a bit late due to me being sick.


	6. Chapter 6

Alphys finished feeding the rats in Papyrus’ absence and headed back to the main file room next to the observation room. She hoped maybe Undyne pulled some information from the other skeleton. She noticed the bite mask that had been cut off and tossed near the file room as she stepped closer to the observation room. She stared at it, and carefully kicked it to the file room, she didn’t want to be around it and she would have Undyne deal with it better later. 

She walked to the door frame and saw Undyne sitting against a wall watching the other skeleton. This skeleton seemed to be crinkling and uncrinkling up the rescue blanket she knew Papyrus kept in case anyone was cold when he rescued them. Undyne looked bored, and irritated. Alphys waved at Undyne who turn gestured at the skeleton, who in turn was still ignoring her. Undyne’s teeth were bared in frustration before Undyne stood up and walked over to Alphys and placed her hands on the other’s shoulders. 

“He won’t talk to me.” a pause, “I mean COURIER won’t talk to me.” no response from the skeleton. “I have been trying to guess his name.” Undyne deflated a moment, Alphys could tell that meant that Undyne had no success on that front. 

Alphys peered into the room again, then frowned and whispered. “M-Maybe the Doctor didn’t name him? After all, if he was considered just a lab rat- maybe he didn’t get a name?” Undyne hated that idea, denying the other even a name? 

“Oh heck no.”

“Well, it is possible so he wouldn’t get attached to him? B-Back in college I had a dormmate who named a rat ‘Sparky’ and at the end decided to drop out of the-”

“I don’t want to hear that Alphys. I’m sorry- but, no.” Undyne didn’t want to think of something like that. Something as common as a lab rat being used in a college when right there was someone who was used his entire life like one. She saw The Secret of NIMH, she knew what could be done to labrats! “I am going to pretend none of us are thinking that Gaster thought another monster was a lab rat and showed enough heart to name him.”

That caused the smaller skeleton to flinch. Then correct them despite Alphys doing her best to stay out of earshot.

“im not a lab-rat. im a weapon.” 

That made the other two jump a little as he said that, he said it with the same confidence that someone would say the sky is blue- well, if anyone in the Underground had ever seen the sky besides a few ancient monsters. 

But what could Alphys or Undyne say to that? Undyne was about to say weapons get names but stopped herself before Alphys scooted in and smiled nervously. “U-um, no, you’re a monster. Like Undyne or Me or Papyrus. I-I know it must be hard to think of right now.”

The pinpricks of light in his eye sockets darkened, as he turned around to face the wall again. “A m-monster like us! You’re not a wea-weapon.” Did he really believe that was all he was? Something to be used?

“leave me alone. the doctor will be back soon.” he said softly, tightening his blankets around himself. He knew this was all some sort of test. Even though everyone that had talked at him so far had told him the Doctor was arrested. He knew that couldn’t be true, what could he have done to get arrested? A part of him was telling him he knew very damn well what was done, but the other part was refusing to accept it. This was a test, a test he will pass. That he will fully remember his purpose and not pretend about what he was. Monsters had the freedom to live and choose their own paths, he didn’t have to worry about his path in life. He was lucky, wasn’t he?

Undyne just wanted to shake the skeleton. And destroy something. But she could do neither right now because either evidence would get destroyed or she might accidently traumatize a skeleton more. Where was Papyrus with that pillow? She decided to leave the room and get some fresh air outside.   
-

Papyrus grabbed the pillow again, he hated the feeling of uncertainty growing in him. He had nothing to be uncertain about, he had a path and a goal to follow, a mission to complete. Help his brother. But a part of him wondered if he should pull out and get someone else not as attached to the issue in. He laughed a little, not even half a day into this and he was wanting to back out? 

If he were going to be a Royal Guard, he knew he would get into more things that would upset him. That he would have to keep on shooting straight. Maybe he could grab something for lunch to bring to everyone.

Maybe he knew he was wanting to just go talk to Grillby already about this. He would need to wait, he knew Grillby wanted to know about what happened today, and he would need be told he was done at a scene before he could leave.

A part of him wondered how Grillby would react to the news that he had a brother. Would Grillby accept his brother and consider him a part of the family or would he see him as a burden being added on. Papyrus pinched himself for thinking that way, but he was worried. What would happen to his brother when they got him out of the labs? 

He nodded then went over to his bookshelf and grabbed a few books at random, shoving them into a backpack he had for when he spent the night at Undyne’s. He would worry about that later, he would worry about that when they reached that point. He would just do something to try and get his brother used to him. That even if his brother wouldn’t look at him, or talk to him, he could talk to him. 

He headed out and back to the main lab. 

\--

There was now crowds outside the lab, monsters hoping to catch glimpses of what Gaster might have done to get arrested. Monsters were hoping to see something gross and terrifying, maybe a dust box would come out of the labs? Maybe stuff like they would see from TV shows about crime. 

Mettaton was on the scene trying to question anyone who might come in and out, and right now Undyne wanted to punch the robot right in his 90 degree angled face to allow some semblance of peace for not only the workers here but for her team. She wasn’t going to parade things out so people could stand in shock and awe and have a story to tell. So she was going to nip it in the bud. She also saw Papyrus coming back in the direction of the lab with his pillow and a backpack in toe. So she went over to the Killer Robot, she wasn’t going to allow Papyrus to be put on display by Mettaton, he had enough on his plate to deal with without some faux news reporter trying to twist words around to get a horror story for ratings. 

“Aren’t we lucky, my beauties, we have the head of the royal guard, Captain Und-” he started, perking at the sight of Undyne, and before he could even finish the sentence Undyne grabbed the microphone from him. 

“Okay, SO here is the story. W.D. Gaster was caught doing some screwed up stuff. Because of the monsters affected, I would greatly appreciate it if everyone let my people work and if YOU-” she turned her gaze to Mettaton, pointing the microphone at his ‘face’. “Did some reporting about a dog or something. I heard a dog exists somewhere. This is a time for letting people work on trying to get used to information that has come out and reported thus far.“ Papyrus was heading to a side door to get in. She knew he was going to try and stay here also and help where he could. That was just in his nature. “Do a feel good cooking show, I don’t care.”

Mettaton took the ‘suggestion’ as he would with anything, “A comfort food episode of Cooking with a Killer Robot will air tonight at 7-”

“I don’t care.” she repeated shoving the microphone into Mettaton’s hands and with that Undyne turned around and headed back inside once she saw Papyrus had gotten in. She crossed her arms over her chest, she looked out at the few scientists inside, all looking about confused. 

“I GUESS PEOPLE HAVE THE DAY OFF TODAY.” she shouted to the lot of them. “GO DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE. IF I FIND ANYONE SHREDDING DOCUMENTS, THEY WILL GET ARRESTED FOR TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE.”

At Undyne’s announcement, a tiny rock-shaped scientist now was worried for shredding some ads about 10 minutes ago. They are incidental and no one will be upset for them shredding those advertisements, because Jerry had taken out a page add and really screw that guy. Was the newspaper that desperate for content fillers that they would allow him to take out an ad? 

She then went to the side entrance were Papyrus had entered and grabbed him by the arm. “You got the pillow?”

“YES- I ALSO BROUGHT SOME BOOKS JUST INCASE ANYONE WA-”

“Okay, good. Pass me the pillow.” And not even waiting for Papyrus to hand it over, she grabbed it from him and started off back to Gaster’s Private Labs. 

“WHY DO YOU NEED THE PILLOW?”

“Because Verdana doesn’t have one.”

“HIS NAME IS VERDANA?”

“NOPE.” Undyne laughed, “I’m just throwing names at him until one sticks”

“...OH.” Well, Papyrus sure wouldn’t have thought of that idea as he followed Undyne down the halls and she stopped by ‘Verdana’s’ room. She then tossed the pillow into the room near the skeleton. 

“Here use this. Because if you’re refusing to move, at least be comfortable. You’re making my back hurt.” Papyrus peered into the window and saw his emergency blanket and satchel in the room, and added to his brother’s mess of blankets. He watched as his brother took the pillow and added it to the nest without so much as a thank you. 

“I WILL STAY WITH HIM.” Papyrus announced to Undyne, brightening up visibly as the idea occurred to him. “I HAVE BOOKS I CAN READ. I’LL STAY OUT OF SIGHT BUT WILL KEEP AN EYE ON HIM JUST IN CASE HE NEEDS ANYTHING.” he straightened his back and stood tall. In fact, he was almost eye to eye with Undyne when he did that. 

Basic guard work then. Undyne knew she was needed in other places so she couldn’t argue this. She sighed, “Just- don’t expect much from him okay? I’m sure he will come around.” She didn’t want Papyrus’ hopes crushed too badly She didn’t want to be a pessimist but she did have to be a realist. If this other skeleton saw himself as a weapon, if he wasn’t going to accept basic kindness from others, how would he function outside of the lab? No, she couldn’t think like that, she couldn’t allow herself to think like that. But she also knew that unlike Papyrus, she had to be aware for failures, especially in situations they never had imagined to happen. 

Papyrus sat down right outside the door and opened up the backpack and search for a book. Once he found one he started to read it outloud. She turned to go help Alphys with the files. 

She heard the opening sentence of one of Papyrus’ books.

“FLUFFY BUNNY HAD A VERY BIG FAMILY…”  
\--

Gaster had given over all his belongings to the Guardsmen so they could write down what all he had as he changed into something fit for a jail cell. He knew he was going to be here for a while and he also knew there was no point and in fact would be counter productive to fight with anyone. He was given a cell to himself, he could also feel other’s eyes on him. Those who knew his name and face and position. 

“Hey-” a squirrel like monster said from a cell across from Gaster’s. “Is it true what I saw on the news? That you were experimenting on monsters?” 

Gaster shook his head, “No sir, not at all. They looked like monsters yes, but they were weapons. I created them after all, and I know much better than anyone else how they work. I figured their shape would make it easier for them to do what they needed to do.” 

The squirrel wasn’t smart, nor was he much for one for thinking over philosophy. So he nodded, this man after all, because the Royal Scientist for a reason. 

“Kay, just warning ya though, some of the rumors already going around might get ya hurt.” the squirrel did know that if Gaster was found to be innocent, making friends with him now might help in the long run. Gaster was no fool, he had an idea of what the squirrel’s plan was.

“Thank you very much. I appreciate the warning.” Which didn’t mean he wasn’t working on trying to figure out how to use the squirrel for his own good in the long run also. 

\--

Asgore was receiving calls left and right from other people he had left in charge of other departments in the kingdom. All of them trying to confirm what they had heard. Through the mess of calls and texts, trying to get this mess sorted there was one number that stood out to him before all others. A number he wouldn’t call or text out of respect of the owner and what they had wanted from him. 

‘Is it true? The Spiders have told me that Wing Ding has been arrested.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was very wobbly for me to write, I figure it and the next one might feel that way so I apologize in advance.


	7. Chapter 7

“FLUFFY BUNNY HAD A VERY BIG FAMILY.” Papyrus read aloud, doing his best to stay out of sight of the other skeleton. Perhaps, he could simply just get the other skeleton used to him. “FLUFFY BUNNY HAD A MOTHER BUNNY AND A FATHER BUNNY, A SISTER BUNNY AND A BROTHER BUNNY. 

Papyrus paused and then held the book against the window so his brother could see. His brother on the other hand was looking at the wall, trying to ignore the voice. “FLUFFY BUNNY LOVES THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY. FATHER BUNNY MAKES CARROT CAKES, AND MOTHER BUNNY SINGS.” He turned the page to continue , “BROTHER BUNNY TAKES NAPS, SISTER BUNNY PLAYS IN THE YARD.” 

The smaller skeleton covered where his ears would have been if he had flesh. Why wasn’t anyone listening to him? He told them all to go away, he told them all to leave him alone, yet they kept on coming back. They kept on bringing him things, kept talking to him, just wouldn’t leave him alone. Everything was too loud, he felt vulnerable. Papyrus just kept on reading. Didn’t he know what danger he was in? He reached for the pillow and held on to it. It...smelt oddly nice to him. 

“FLUFFY BUNNY GRABBED A SLICE OF CARROT CAKE TO TAKE TO BROTHER BUNNY.” 

The skeleton looked at the picture that was now pressed against the window, it was of a brown bunny taking a slice of cake to another bunny. The page next to it had what he could only suspect was Mother Bunny with something next to her head. 

“IN THE BATHROOM, MOTHER BUNNY WAS SINGING WHILE DRYING HER HAIR.”

He then felt a chuckle escaped him, drying her hair. Hare dryer. Something about that simple pun was hilarious to him, or perhaps it was just the stress of the situation building up to maximum capacity. He buried his face into the pillow as he couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

Papyrus peered over the window and heard the chuckling. He blinked. Puns? That is what his brother wanted to hear? Puns may not have been the top rank of comedy gold, but if it got to show some other expression from his brother- then who was he to deny it?

He put down the fluffy bunny book and rummaged around to see if he brought a joke book. There was none, so he quickly pulled out his phone and searched the Undernet for puns. 

“I KNOW SOMEONE WHO WAS HIT IN THE HEAD WITH A CAN OF SODA. HE WAS LUCKY IT WAS A SOFT DRINK.”

Another snort escaped from the observation room. If this would help his brother warm up to him- well then he would read these all night if he had to. 

“THE SAME FRIEND ALSO KEPT ON WONDERING WHY A BASEBALL WAS GETTING BIGGER- THEN IT HIT HIM.”

It went from a chuckle to full on laughter. 

“DO YOU KNOW ANY?” 

The smaller skeleton paused as he tried to think of some. He remembered the one time he tried to make a joke to the Doctor. The Doctor just stared at him blankly when he said it and then told him no one liked puns, but if he had the chance to do it-

“i know sign language. it comes in handy.”

“HA. THAT IS A GOOD ONE.” 

The smaller skeleton then realized what was happening and felt sick from panic suddenly.

“you need to leave.” Papyrus was trying to get him to want to leave the lab, to fail the test. He didn’t want the other skeleton stuck in here, not again. 

“I AM NOT. NOT WITHOUT YOU.”

“...”

“YOU’RE MY BROTHER. I DON’T REMEMBER YOU- DO YOU REMEMBER ME?”

The heavy silence sat around the two. A heavy sigh. 

“BACK TO FLUFFY BUNNY.” What else could he do? What else could he say? He got a little out of him though, which was important. Maybe he could keep on chipping away. Papyrus looked down at the book, the next page had the bunny family together happily. 

The smaller of the two stopped listening, he wished everyone would just leave him alone. He took another deep breath, just taking in the scent of the pillow. He felt himself dozing off, one of his design flaws admittedly, he fell asleep too easily and quickly drained.

The warmth of his blankets, the smell of the pillow, and the voice from the other side of the wall- despite all the chaos that had happened to him in the past few hours. It was luring him to sleep. 

He was dreaming.

He was lying on his side and curled up against his chest was a small blaster. It was snoring softly, he sat up and looked at it.   
He knew he didn’t have much time, he felt the panic in his bones. The door was open. He took the child and ran.

He remembered a place where the Doctor got rid of things. The baby was waking up.

“nononononono.” the older brother said. He then remembered something from when he was younger. “shhhhh-” the baby started to cry.

Then the older brother raised his hand and quickly brought it to the side of the other’s skull, causing the child to go limp. 

“im sorry.” he said to the infant as he opened up the garbage shoot. “be safe, k?” And then standing on his tip toes he put the child in. He thought about following, but if the Doctor came back- he would start looking for them ASAP. He took one last look at the shoot and ran back to what was his and his brother’s cell.

He sat down and bundled up their blankets into a creased-up ball and curled up against it, trying to stay still. 

It was forever in his dream, it was no time in his dream when the Doctor came back and saw him.

“Good thing he sleeps like a rock.” The Doctor said to no one before shutting the door. 

He was trapped, but his brother was free. He was terrified of what would happen next.

He woke up. He was holding the pillow close against his chest and there was a large wet spot where his face was. The lights were dimmed, it was ‘night’ time. 

His mask was still off, he still had the pillow, he felt a pang of anxiety rush through him as he quickly changed forms again and turned to the door.

And there was the Lizard from earlier. Alphys. She held her hands up in a placating gesture. 

“H-hey, sorry I’m late. I-I couldn’t find what you normally ate a-according to the notes. So I tried to find something similar.” 

He blinked slowly as she held out a bowl. 

“P-papyrus and Undyne were going to give you other t-things, but I figured y-you might actually like something simple to start off.” she put the bowl down within the skeleton’s reach as he got closer to it and sniffed it. It had an acidic smell, kind of heavy- sharp. It was a deep orange-red color. A color he had never seen in his food before. 

He was hungry, so he carefully lowered his head down to lap up a little of the concoction. And then he paused.   
This- was like nothing he ever tasted before. He started to lap more at it, quickly draining the bowl of the contents and then licking at the walls of the bowl, eventually ending up pushing it against the wall trying to get more of the flavour. 

Alphys nodded and reached for the bowl and he snapped a little at her. She jumped back and he realized what he did as he whined and headed back to his corner.

“O-oh no! Nothing happened! I-I thought you might like more soup. You- you really seemed to like it.” She wasn’t going to approach the bowl again though, she would just get another one. “I-I know what you had before was a bit...flavorless. J-just wait here, I’ll be right back.” she said quickly moving out of the room. The skeleton then decided to go back to the bowl, it was now bone dry, but still, he could taste something (in his mind at least) so he went back to it. 

Soon Alphys came back and put the new bowl of soup down away from the other bowl and he blinked wearily at her.

“I-I know you’re used to a certain caloric intake, but, food can be nice huh? W-Well, when it isn’t just that paste stuff.” 

What he normally ate. He carefully walked over to the new bowl and started to eat it. “I-It’s tomato soup. I hope it isn’t too rich.” 

He had no idea what she meant by that, but he didn’t care. Soon the second bowl was empty and he laid down next to it. He was feeling those tears form in his eyes again. All of this was confusing to him. He whined loudly, and a few rooms over Papyrus could understand what was being asked.

“why are all you doing this?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this chapter out of the way, so I could start allowing more integration to the rest of the world. And thus waff, because I like waff.


	8. Chapter 8

The Mink-Monster paced back and forth in front of Gaster. “So, let me get this straight, you pretty much admitted to using monsters for testing without their consent and that were children.” Her tail swished back and forth, as her claws clicked against the tile flooring of the room. The moment she got her client’s call, she headed to the jail as soon as she was allowed to. “So, what do you need me here for?” 

W.D Gaster held himself proudly despite being in an international-orange jumpsuit, his fingers were tented on the table. “Well,” he started off, “We both know I am going to get a sentence for this crime. But I feel like I could get a greatly reduced sentence due to the intricacies of it.” The Mink sat across from him, huffing a little. He was used to her hot-headed attitude. This attitude had served her well for everything she done.

“Intricacies, from what I have heard on the news so far, include experimentation on children.” she repeated with a squint of her eyes, she wasn’t keeping the disbelieving tone out of her voice “Which last I checked falls under ‘child abuse’. Where did you even GET those children at anyways? Skeleton monsters are not exactly a commonplace thing. So two suddenly going missing would have been noticed”

“Please Matilda. Do you really think I would kidnap children?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think, what matters are the facts.” she bit out. “So how about this, tell me the story, and tell me what you expect to happen.”

“A simple version is, they were created from my own soul. The elder one was created soon after the King had killed the first human that fell down here. I saw what trouble it caused Asgore and wanted to create a smart weapon that could do the work for him. Because let’s both be honest, the King is not the most hard of hearts. A Systematic AnnihilatioN Sentry, designed to find and destroy any and all humans who would enter the Underground” 

Matilda was scribbling down the notes. “So using a bit of my soul, some science and some of my personal magic, I created the first one. So I started training it, I also was working on ways to make it where it understood its purpose fully. I did not expect it to have the stats it did, did you know two monsters can not have the exact same magical signature?” he seemed honestly curious about it. “Which is why when I made the second one, I decided to see what sort of magic would develop on its own. It had much greater stats the the original, but it still had the same base set of magical skills originating from my soul.” 

He was talking about this as if he were talking about the weather- which being underground meant there was no weather. It made Matilda feel oily listening about it. 

“Two years after the creation of the second one, it went missing. I was able to find out that the first one disposed of the second one. I took that as a sign of instability in the mental framework of the first one. After concluding the second one was deceased, I decided to refocus my studies purely on the first one. I could not use more of my soul after all. But as time went on, the King was able to get more SOULs before I had the unit fully operational, so I decided to use it for other testing. Due to its nature, I used it as an in between step between lab rats and monsters.”   
“So what you’re wanting-”

“Is to prove that not only were what my fellow Monsters are considering is just a weapon given a second purpose, but because it was made from my soul and my magic, it is mine to do with as I pleased.” He leaned back, “And it with its original purpose, it would have been a boon to Monsters, they wouldn’t need to be used against humans or elementals having to be resummoned like in the olden days.” Gaster smiled at her. “So if I am sentenced to time, I would like the time lessened and my work to still be mine.”

Matilda skimmed over the notes she had written down. “I think I am going to need a coffee, and that we’re going to have to do a lot of work

-

Asgore took a deep breath as he read over the text message. Toriel. Wing Ding was their friend. He slumped a little as he looked at the message. His thumb tapping against the back of the cellphone. He was a coward, he didn’t want his first communication with Toriel in decades to be about this wreck that happened on his watch. He looked up at the moonlight filtering into his chambers. He had been avoiding responding to the text. But he needed to be an adult about this, not be a child and hide from it. He had to pretend like this was a trip to the dentist. 

He swallowed and dialed her number, waiting for her to respond.

“...Hello.” Toriel said, Asgore could tell from that one hello that she still did not want to talk to him. But that she was tolerating it, to find out what happened. “So, about the rumors I heard from the Spiders-?”

“They are true, Tori.”She would have told him not to call her that, but the message he delivered over-rode her anger at the other for a few long moments. “He admitted to it, but also said that ‘law hasn’t caught up with science.’” Asgore shut his eyes. 

“How was this even found out?”

“20 years ago, the Dog Guard of Snowdin started a child-abandonment investigation. All the leads were cold until about two years ago when the old head of the Guard retired and the new one- Undyne, started to look over the cold cases. She was lucky at the moment that someone who was with her- a sweet little Dinosaur named Alphys- saw that file, she worked with Wing Ding and said that the method of coding was just like his.”

“Child Abandonment?!” Toriel yelped. “But, I could never-” 

“From what Undyne had told me from what Alphys could take from Wing Ding’s notes, he thought the other child had killed the one found.” 

“The other child- oh my- there was more than one?”  
“Yes, he is still in the labs. I’m hoping we can get him out soon. He seems to be refusing to leave.”

“...” 

Asgore slumped a little. “Our friend has been keeping secrets. I’m sorry, Tori- I should have been watching him.”

“Don’t apologize to me, Dreemurr.” she said sternly, “He is not a child and should not needed you watching his every step. I want the name of the found child and where he lives.” She was still the Queen, and she doubt Asgore had thought much on the Victims of this crime. She was though.

\- 

‘i don’t understand.’ the Blaster in front of Alphys whined. She didn’t know the secret language of Dog, but she did understand another, more subtle language. The language of someone hurting. This language could go through any barrier, and seeing this skeletal blaster whine at her confused and tears forming in its eyes, tomato soup staining its snout and dripping down onto the gray clothes it wore. She moved gently over to him and rested a clawed hand on his head.

“We want to help you.” she said softly. “We want to give you a life outside of here. You have a family waiting for you.” She patted the skull. “Let us help you. You’re more than this. Gaster did a lot of wrong, but he did make you and Papyrus. And Papyrus-”

Papyrus felt himself eavesdropping more into the conversation, he knew this was Alphys time. “W-Well the Underground is a much better place for having him! And it will be a much better place for finally getting to meet you, too! You’re not a weapon. You have a SOUL like me and Undyne and Papyrus. I-I know so little about you, but I think we will be friends.” she then moved to hug him.

The skeleton flinched at the touch and wanted to curl into himself. He didn’t know what to do, his limbs felt useless, his chest felt tight. “L-lets get you out of here, okay?”

And with that, the blaster allowed the harness to be undone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what dis? a happy chapter?

The lack of weight tightly around his frame felt odd. It felt terrifying, to be honest. He was given a freedom to leave. Alphys stood up and smiled down at the Blaster. “Y-You can leave the room now if you want.” she decided to lead the way. “I know it must be kind of scary. B-But we will make sure you don’t have to worry! But I know y-you would, I-I know I would if this was all I knew.” She moved to step out of the room as the smaller skeleton felt everyone’s eyes on him as he slowly moved, soon he was out of his normal range of movement. He looked back to make sure the chain and harness was still in that pile by the wall as he carefully stepped out of the room. 

And then another step.

And then another.

And soon, he was fully out of the observation room. He saw Undyne and Alphys and Papyrus. He felt terrified, as if the Doctor would swoop down like a vulture upon death. He felt himself tense up, then he felt himself run. The sound of his claws clacking against the tile, skidding around corners and going to opposite of where ever he was and where-ever he would go when the Doctor was there. He skidded to a stop when he saw another room by a vending machine. 

He also heard running behind him. Same bone sound his own claws made. He turned and saw a much larger blaster than him, wearing the clothes of the other skeleton. His brother.

He had grown so big. His brother used to stand under him, and now he towered over him. He watched as the other approached him, his tail moving lazily side to side in a relaxed manner, carefully approaching him.

(BROTHER!) the other blaster said, lowering itself down to his height. (SEE? IT’S SAFE. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL PROTECT YOU!)

The other looked at Papyrus, blinking slowly. 

(heh.) He didn’t even realize he was shaking until Papyrus leaned against him to help stabilize him. (im so confused) he laughed out. Now he was laughing? Crying then laughing? What was going on?

Papyrus knew what was happening, his brother was panicking again. (DO YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE?) he nuzzled against the smaller skeleton’s skull. (ITS NICE OUTSIDE. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN IT?)

He remembered being told he would get to see the outside when it was time to go hunting after humans. But he let himself be gently led by Papyrus to a door, and he watched as Papryus opened the door from the labs to the outside, he stepped outside to make sure there were no crowds. 

Papyrus stood tall as he watched the smaller skeleton carefully step outside onto the concrete. It felt different, oddly warm. The smaller looked around, there were no walls besides the ones he just left. It was so big, it was terrifying. He backed up a little right into a pair of legs.  
“Yup! Welcome to the outside!” It was the one called Undyne. “Doesn’t the air feel nice?!” She placed her hands on her waist as she laughed. The air did feel different, he took a deep breath. Then sneezed. 

He jumped a little at the sound and the sensation of it. Papyrus was pawing happily and excitedly at the ground. (THERE IS SO MUCH I WANT TO SHOW YOU! SO MANY PEOPLE I WANT YOU TO MEET!) 

The smaller skeleton watched as Papyrus was now excitedly prancing around. 

“WOW, I need to really learn how to speak dog!” Undyne commented as she stepped to the side. The smaller blaster decided they had spent enough time outside, that it was too big and didn’t know where he could go. He turned around to head back in before Papyrus stood in front of him.

(LETS GO HOME.)

(this is where i live)

(YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH ME NOW. AND MY DAD.) Papyrus hadn’t even thought about how Grillby would react yet. (AND WE WILL BE A FAMILY.)

That word. Family. 

“When monsters are free, you can join your family.” Echoed in the Smaller’s mind. Monsters weren’t free yet though. Of course the Doctor would find a way to remind him. 

(I LIVE IN SNOWDIN. I WILL NEED TO GET YOU A COAT. YOU CAN GET CHILLED TO YOUR BONES THERE.)

(heh youre so cool) He didn’t feel it in his heart just yet. But he felt like it was the proper thing to say. 

(LETS REST HERE OUTSIDE. I’LL HAVE UNDYNE GET YOU A JACKET. OH OR BETTER YET. WE CAN JUST USE THE BLANKETS SO YOU COULD BE HOME SOONER. YES, THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA. THEN WE CAN GO GET CLOTHES FOR YOU THAT ISN’T GRAY TOGETHER.) Papyrus laid down in front of the door, tail wagging, looking at him expectantly.

It reminded him of when Papyrus started to walk on his own and how he would look at him waiting for him to cheer him on. He would always cheer his little (now much bigger) brother on. 

(..ok.) he said, laying down. Papyrus shifted and told Undyne what they had talked about. Undyne let out a celebratory ‘whoop’ and headed inside to gather the blankets.

\--

The journey was a hard one, ‘Times’ as Undyne was calling him now was not used to traveling so far. In fact, he was only used to moving around the lab under strict supervision. He had fallen asleep on the boat again and didn’t awake until he felt the chill Papyrus had mentioned from Snowdin. The taller skeleton picked him up easily, considering he was still in his quadipedial form and carefully draped a blanket over him. 

The smell of his brother relaxed him. Everything was silent except for the crunching sound of snow. There were so many scents in the air, and such an odd sensation being cold like this was. He loved it, he hated it. It made him all too nervous. 

Papyrus looked down at the bundle of blanket and blaster in his arms. He felt the weight of what he was taking on and felt excited and nervous. Once he made it home, he would call Grillby and let him know what had happened, and about the newest addition to their home. He saw his brother looking around at everything.

“IT IS ALRIGHT. THIS IS SNOWDIN, A FRIENDLY TUNDRA COMMUNITY WHERE THE SNOW IS COLD, THE PEOPLE ARE WARM AND GYFTMAS IS ALWAYS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.” If the smaller skeleton knew what a radio announcer was, he would have been sure Papyrus just sounded like one. Soon Papyrus came to his home and opened up the door with a careful balance and stepped inside.

‘Times’ lifted his head and looked around, he saw the pictures and rugs and couch. He was put onto the floor. “YOU CAN EXPLORE ALL YOU LIKE. AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY IN BLASTER FORM. OR YOU COULD IF YOU WANT. YOU’RE FREE TO DO ANYTHING. EXCEPT BURN DOWN THE HOUSE! NYEH HEH HEH.”

Papyrus moved to sit down on the couch. Alphys had yet to figure out how to undo the magic locks on his brother, but right now maybe it was best he didn’t have full access to it all. He watched as his brother started to carefully move around looking at things with wide-eyed wonder. Papyrus texted Grillby that he was home, and that his brother was with him. Papyrus didn’t know what to do now, to be honest.

His brother was home with him, the labs were still being worked on for the extent of the crimes to be tried against Gaster and he told Grillby. 

He watched as his brother curled up underneath the coffee table and was just watching him now.

“I TOLD DAD. I AM SURE HE WILL-”

And right when Papyrus started to finish that sentence, the living room door opened, and there stood none other than a man made of fire. Grillby had promptly closed down for the evening when he got the text, glad that only the Drunk Bunny was the only one in at the moment so he could easily get her out. This was important after all. 

“HI DAD!” Papyrus said waving his hand as he turned to look from his brother to the door. “MY BROTHER IS UNDER THE COFFEE TABLE.”

Grillby let his eyes drift from Papyrus to the blaster underneath the table. The Blaster was now looking at him also, one eye bright blue and aware. Papyrus had a brother. 

Of course he was going to take him in. Of course he was going to take care of him. Papyrus was his son. 

He was used to seeing Papyrus’ in blaster form being large enough to easily sprawl across the couch and have his tail hang over, so it was odd and familiar at the same time to see the Blaster curled up underneath. 

He moved next to the couch and sat down on the floor.

“Hello.” he said after a few moments, “I’m Grillby.” 

He didn’t need to introduce himself to Papyrus all those years ago, caring for him was as natural as it was to burn for him. “Whats your name?” and he felt it was only polite to do, even if the Blaster couldn’t speak common in this form. 

“HE HASN’T TOLD ANYONE HIS NAME. UNDYNE CALLED HIM ‘TIMES’ BUT I THINK THATS JUST RUDE TO MAKE UP A NAME FOR SOMEONE WHO ISN’T WILLING TO GIVE US HIS NAME YET.” Papyrus announced. “I FIGURE I WILL JUST CALL HIM BROTHER UNTIL HE IS WILLING TO TELL US.”

Grillby wondered if this other skeleton even had a name. He had to name Papyrus after all, (he was going to name Papyrus ‘Flint’ originally until someone reminded him that he should stick with a skeleton name for a skeleton.) He didn’t have to heart to suggest just yet that maybe he didn’t have a name. 

Grillby took no offense as the skeleton curled up against itself more. 

 

“That might work for a while.” Grillby commented, it hurt to know Papyrus had a brother. He could tell the brother was around Papyrus’ age by how the skull was shaped and how he had less bones than a younger skeleton would have. “Tell me, what happened?” 

Papyrus frowned a little and started to retell the story of the day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been having a huge case of writer's block for both my fics. So I apologize if the quality isn't up to par. 
> 
> (and to everyone who noticed Night Vale, you're so very right. I am shamelessly addicted to that podcast)

Grillby remembered when he took in the toddler many years ago. He was lucky that the child was a happy one despite some troubles in his past. He remembered filing the paperwork for the investigations, being questioned many times over, he remembered wondering if one day Papyrus’ biological family would come knocking on his door demanding their son back. He didn’t imagine that many years later he would meet his son’s family, and it would be a single brother who was currently hiding underneath the dining room table watching him as he prepared dinner for the three of them. It was hard not to feel the eyes boring into his legs. 

“BROTHER!” Papyrus shouted in his inside voice. “I BROUGHT SOME MORE BLANKETS DOWN FOR YOU. YOU SEEM TO REALLY LIKE THE DINING ROOM TABLE SO WE CAN MAKE A FORT THERE FOR YOU.” 

It had been two days since the brother had arrived and things were moving as expected to him at least- slowly. He turned his head for a moment to see Papyrus putting a few more blankets underneath the table for the other skeleton that Grillby had mentally been calling ‘Blue’ due to the bright blue eye that would sometimes light up. papyrus crawled beneath the table to sit next to the blaster.

“YOU KNOW ITS SAFE HERE. YOU CAN BE IN YOUR BIPEDAL FORM IF YOU LIKE.” Papyrus was concerned over how ‘Blue’ kept in that form, kept underneath tables, slept a lot. How with his freedom instead of going out to explore the expanse of his new world, he just curled up and stayed inside. 

“Don’t worry.” Grillby said finally, “He is just getting used to things.” He didn’t have the same socialization skills as other monsters, so there of course would be times when it seemed like he was more animal than monster. Back on the surface, Grillby remembered accounts of feral children, now he had one in his own home. He felt anger bubbling up inside of him again at the thought of what Gaster had done to two boys (now both men). 

Grillby finished up making dinners and spooned the spaghetti out for the three of them. He would do what he always did and would ask ‘Blue’ if he wanted to eat at the table. He would refuse, so Papyrus, him and the other skeleton would eat in the living room so they could all be on the same level. Grillby watched as he started to figure out things Blue liked and disliked, he liked tomatoes, he hated cheese. He liked savory, he wasn’t a fan of spice. Grillby had been trying to expand Blue’s diet over the past days to try and show him that things would be different. 

“YOU KNOW.” Papyrus started, “I FEEL BAD WITH YOU STAYING UNDER TABLES ALL THE TIME.” but they both knew that would be the only way ‘Blue’ would socialize. “DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD OPEN UP THE STAIRWAY STORAGE OR SOMETHING TO MAKE THAT INTO A SLEEPING AREA? THEN MY BROTHER WOULD ALSO HAVE HIS OWN AREA TOO.” The stairway closet was large, the second biggest storage area outside of the attic. It could fit a twin mattress and a dresser easily, except of course- it was a storage room under the stairs. It was slightly bigger than the room Blue had previously been staying in back at the labs. 

Grillby was in the same camp as Undyne with Papyrus just waiting for Blue to tell Papyrus his name. He thought it wouldn’t happen any time soon. Tonight he was going to try and talk to Papyrus about at least getting him a name. 

“WHAT DO YOU THINK?” 

He asked the Blaster who looked at the two of them, before shifting, the bowl resting in his lap. He was wearing some clothes, a pair of basketball shorts, a white t-shirt and a blue jacket. 

Undyne had brought them over when she heard about how ‘Nueva’ (as she was calling him that day) didn’t want to leave the house, nor really shift into his bi-pedal form unless absolutely needed. 

“k.” He said, picking up a noodle and eating it. Grillby was glad to hear him talk to be honest. It was low and smooth, almost lazy. Grillby bet if Blue would sing, he would sing well. Papyrus bristled with excitement. 

“WE CAN SHARE A ROOM IF YOU LIKE, OR YOU CAN PICK AN AREA.”

Blue shrugged. “‘m good.” Grillby sighed a little before making an executive descsion has the head of the house. 

“Would you come with us so we can pick out things for your room then?” If Blue was going to have that hidey-hole of a storage area for a room, they were going to make it nice and comfortable for him. He wasn’t going to live like some sort of orphan no one wanted. They could easily fix it up and paint it where it would look nice. Grillby didn’t like the door though- perhaps they could just take it off the hinges so there would always be some light and airflow.

But then again, it might make Blue think he was always being watched. 

“‘m good.” he said again. Finishing up his bowl of pasta. 

“WE CAN PAINT IT ANY COLOR YOU LIKE.”

“‘m good.” he repeated. 

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME WITH US- WE CAN PICK OUT BLANKETS JUST FOR YOU THAT YOU LIKE.” Papyrus was sounding desperate. Blue was unmoved. 

“‘m good.” 

Grillby rested a hand on Papyrus’ arm. 

“Is there any reason why you don’t want to come with us?” Grillby asked after a few moments. Blue looked down at his empty bowl.

“‘m safe here.”

Those three words struck Grillby down to his core, Blue felt safe here- but because of that he didn’t want to leave did he? Was he scared everything else would be ‘unsafe’? 

“YOU WILL ALWAYS BE SAFE WITH ME!” Papyrus said after a few moments. “AFTER ALL, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS, LIVE TO SERVE AND PROTECT! AND YOU ARE MY MOST DEAR BROTHER AND THEREFORE IT IS MY TOP PRIORITY TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND HAPPY!”

‘Blue’ shivered at what Papyrus said. How easily Papyrus could love- it wasn’t something he was used to. Food and all the blankets he could want? Love?

It was too much and too hard to understand. He was trying to understand it and it was just making him mad. Didn’t Papyrus understand that he- that he was a tool and Papyrus was something amazing and great and that he didn’t deserve the love of someone so amazing.

That back in the labs when he first saw Papyrus he knew that he was destined for better things than him? 

“s-stop it. ‘m good, i promise.” 

“NO.” Papyrus was being firm on this. “THIS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO HEAR. YOU ARE PRECIOUS TO ME. YOU DESERVE TO FEEL PRECIOUS AND BELOVED. IT IS THE LEAST THAT THE WORLD CAN GIVE TO YOU.”

Grillby watched as Blue just stared at Papyrus as if he was just spouting off something crazy, that he was making up some elaborate lie or something. 

“Papyrus is right.” Grillby explained. “I know it is hard to understand now, but one day you will.”

“PLEASE COME WITH US. IF IT HELPS, I’LL STAY IN BLASTER FORM.”

Blue already knew that Papyrus preferred his bi-pedal form. 

“THAT WAY IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE IN DANGER, I’LL BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOU FASTER THAN ANYTHING.”

And before Blue could say a single word, Papyrus had shifted and was heading over to the other, laying down next to him, resting his large head on Blue’s lap (He looked even smaller now). Papyrus looked up at his brother, silently begging him to come out shopping with them. 

“...’k” Blue said finally, resting a hand on Papyrus’ skull. Papyrus’ tail wagged back and forth at this statement, considering it a huge victory.


	11. Chapter 11

Papyrus could smell the panic bubbling up inside of his brother as they stepped outside. He agreed to be in his Blaster form for this task to help make his brother feel safer in the world. He pressed his skull against his brother’s arm, moving a little to change the focus from the fear to well. Him. He watched as his brother’s stare went from an endless on at the town filled with snow, back down to him. 

DON’T BE SCARED. Papyrus thought, I’M WITH YOU. 

“‘m tired.” the brother said finally. Of course he would be tired, he slept roughly 17 hours a day from Papyrus’ calculations. His brother must have been made from a cat skeleton or something. Grillby walked forward and ‘Blue’ stood behind waiting for some que, as if stepping out from the porch would cause the shadows that lurked in his mind to finally jump out at him. He was arguing with himself intenernally, about how he wouldn’t be hurt or taken back to the labs- he was safe here. But at the same time another part was asking him how could he be so sure of that- so sure that one wrong misstep they will all fall into a trap. He would much rather go back to the labs alone instead of with Papyrus. 

Papyrus stepped forward, the other skeleton’s hand on the scarf also made hhim move forward by a step. Then another step. This was a journey of steps, wasn’t it? Papyrus took another step, dragging his brother another step. 

Step into the snow, brother- and feel its kindness. 

\--

Toriel couldn’t bring herself to go right to Snowdin. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Asgore right now either. A part of her felt he was as guilty as W.D. was. She balled her fists in with the fabric of her dress- she decided to visit the start of this. 

W.D.

“Hello Toriel.” He said smoothly, of course she was able to get into a conference with him as soon as possible. After all, everyone saw her as the queen still. He sat tall and proud, despite now being in the same uniform as the prisoners. Fluorescent lights washing the skeleton’s appearance out more, yet he was still trying to hold onto a grace and mastery of dignity in front of her.

“Wing Dings.” She said firmly, she had to seem unbiased, despite the admittances her old friend had made. “What did you do?”

“I used creatures made from me to try and create something to free all monsters.”

That made the fur on the nape of her neck stand on end. It was like- a perversion of Asriel and Chara! Creatures made from him- children. He wasn’t even going to dignify them with calling them children or monsters. 

“I see it as no different than cutting off an arm if need be if it means to survive. I will happily stay in here if he can destroy the barrier. I am willing to suffer and make other suffer for the greater good, Toriel.” She hated his face right now, she hated him. “I refuse to pussyfoot around what would need to be done, Asgore is too soft, and I feel you would rather monsters stay down here being punished for the crime of existing if it meant that some humans would be safe- that the soul of a single human is truly worth more than the souls of all the monsters in the underground.” She felt her body get hot with rage, the words he was not speaking was not registering to her. “I don’t care if 1 human or 1 million humans die, or if a few things I made from my own person hurt.. Let the monsters finally no longer live off trash and finally see the sun.”

“You’re absolutely vile.” Toriel said, “I thought you were a monster of high standing but, no. No this is terrible. You’re terrible.” And she stood up and headed out of the room. Gaster knew that there were going to be transcripts made from this conversation- and hopefully the news would latch on to it like the starved creatures for excitement they were.

-

The snow crunched (or in Grillby’s case melted) underneath the footsteps of the trio. ‘Blue’ was trying to hide himself more and more into his hoodie, only making people more and more curious about who he was. People were stopping and talking, because when encountered with something new like this, even the most distant of people might ask someone else a question. But they also knew Grillby would step in before anyone said anything to the smaller skeleton, or that Papyrus would quickly shoo them away.

They stepped into the store, the bright lights washed over them.

“Well, you can go pick out whatever you like to make yourself more comfortable-” Grillby started.

“ mmmm. ‘M good.” Blue responded, already wanting out. Papyrus placed his skull ontop of his brother’s before nudging him in the direction of household items. Grillby turned to go see what they had so he could finish that closest into something better than what it was.

‘WELL DO YOU SEE ANYTHING YOU LIKE?’ The Blaster yipped at his brother. ‘LIKE THIS LAMP. ITS A NICE LAMP.’

His brother frowned as he looked at the price tag then asked him ‘How does this lamp score against the other ones?’

How...does it score? Papyrus was confused before Sans took a few steps over and saw a cheaper one ‘this one didn’t score as well.’

Score- did ‘Blue’ think that the prices were scores? Performance grades of lamps? That was the oddest line of thinking he had heard all day!

‘NO, THOSE ARE THE PRICES, I AM SURE BOTH LAMPS ARE EQUALLY GREAT. OH LOOK THIS ONE IS ON SALE.’ he gestured to the best of his ability to the bright red sales tag.

“Prices?” 

“HOW MUCH THEY COST” 

A blank stare, has his brother never heard of buying anything before? Then it hit him, probably not. Why would he need to know about grocery shopping or any sort of shopping when living in a small room, only expected to leave if he was going to go kill a human. 

“WE USE MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR GOODS AND SERVICES.”

“Oh. where do you get the money from?”

“WORK.”

“By providing a service?” Sans responded. 

“WHY YES!”

“So you to get money, people have to spend money on you. In exchange people will sell you things, so they can do it.” 

“WELL YES.”

“That doesnt seem to be a very good system.” Because it seemed like money made it a weird fuzzy area, when someone could just give someone else an apple in exchange for helping them find a crabapple tree. 

Papyrus frowned as his brother grabbed the lamp with the ‘lowest score’ and put it in one of Papyrus’ satchels. 

\--

Undyne laid amongst the piles of papers and photos and was slowly shoving a sandwich in her mouth. Alphys watched in a combination of horror and interest how she was just putting the sandwich in, no biting or chewing. 

“Um. Um...You might, um, want to chew.” Alphys suggested sitting next to Undyne. “I wouldn’t want you to choke- NOT THAT I WOULD WANT ANYONE TO CHOKE.” 

Undyne smiled to the best of her ability as she finally did take a bite and chewed the mess of a sandwich. Once she swallowed she sighed: “This is exhausting, and draining. And it is really FREAKING stupid that W.D. ASSTER did this!”  
Alphys nodded. “Now, we are having to tear apart his lab and it seems like each layer of filth we think we find, he decided to place another layer in its place..”

“26 years is a lot of work.”

“A lot of time to be MESSING UP.” Undyne shouted”I’m going to punch him. I am going to find a reason, and do it.”

“That's brutality, Undyne.”

“Not if he earned it!”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gently slips this in here*

“Welcome to the MTT News Channel, all me and all news all the time!” The rectangular robot said to the camera crew. “We have a shocking update in the case of W.D. Gaster, including the return of Queen Toriel!” A picture of Toriel appeared on the upper right hand corner of Monsters TV screens. “She appeared from her exile to talk to the monster where some juicy details were released to me, by one of the lovely guards.” 

In short, Mettaton had gone to the jail and being in shock and awe over the shining star of the Underground, a guard had released the footage of Toriel and Gaster talking. Now, if there had been cases like this before in the Underground, there probably would have been some sort of law in place about releasing videos like this to the populace. But, there wasn’t and Mettaton had found what Gaster to have said to be interesting. Mettaton knew he would be willing to kill a human child if it meant the Underground would be free, in fact, the machine knew there were many monsters willing to do so also. So it struck a chord in him. Mettaton played the video for the people watching the news to see, of course cutting out Toriel insulting the man. Making it seem like she went in there and found out what he did and then stormed off, upset, be it over children being hurt or Gaster accusing her of loving humans more than her own people.

When Mettaton reappeared on the screen he spoke.

“Well, we now see why the Royal Scientist did what he did. Now the question is, do you think that Gatser using his own parts to create life to destroy the barrier is wrong or right? Or do you think it is a firm shade of gray? Call in now so we can hear your response!”

\--

Blue was already dozing off where he stood, the small skeleton already worn out from all the walking around the store and talking. Simple tasks for any monster, but from what Papyrus could assume, perhaps, that because his brother never really had many people to deal with and never had the chance to walk around much- this was exhausting. Papyrus shifted into his bipedal form to be able to help with the task of making sure his brother got home. 

Life seemed exhausting for his brother and that made the younger skeleton feel even more hurt. He didn’t want to wake up his brother, he needed the sleep to perhaps one day be able to do things like walk around the store and talk to people. To make friends and joke with people. Balancing the bags with the ‘low scoring’ items in it, Papyrus bent down and picked up his brother. His brother was older than he was yet still the size of a child, a small, sickly skeleton with terrible amounts of power. Holding his brother like this, he could feel it. While Papyrus had his own strength and the ability to change his stats a little- willingly, he could tell his brother had something almost otherworldly power wise nesting inside of him. It scared him, but this skeleton in his arms was his brother. And despite what he could tell was the potential to hurt so many, he could already feel like his brother had so much potential to make so many happy. 

And that was what Papyrus wanted his brother to do the most, for his brother to make himself happy.  
He walked down the asiles until he finally met up with Grillby.

“HE FELL ASLEEP.” Papyrus stated, Grillby would never stop being in shock about how Blue could sleep through Papyrus talking. Not many monsters could. Grillby had a cart full of supplies they would need to make the storage room into something presentable, and Grillby could tell that Blue had just picked out anything that was presented to him, no exact theme or reasoning behind what he may have liked. 

A plain lamp, a blanket with stars on it, simple things. 

“Well, we are out past his normal sleeping time.” Grillby commented as he emptied Papyrus satchels into the cart. “Do you want to take him home while I finish up here?” Papyrus nodded as he headed out, going past everything eventually stopping in front of a TV where Mettaton was broadcasting.

What a beautiful robot. 

Then the clip from the prison played. Gaster’s low voice echoing in his mind as he spoke, he felt something bubble up inside of him. Anger? Fear? The voice was soft, but he felt the figure in his arms tense up and shifting. 

That voice alone was enough to send his brother into going into a defense mode as Blue forced himself out of Papyrus’ arms landing on all fours. The canine form of his brother, eyes focusing right on the TV. He whined loudly as he tried to backaway as Papyrus moved to quickly turn off the TV.

“NO. ITS OKAY. I PROMISE.” Papyrus felt mildly betrayed that the TV decided right then and there to show a clip of Gaster to the populace of the Underground. Nothing in the store was small enough to slip under, in respect for the smaller patrons of the Underground. 

“LETS GET OUT OF HERE.” Papyrus said as his brother looked up at him Papyrus thinking they reached a good middle point before the smaller of the two seemed to dart away at speeds that just were not natural. It was like teleportation and he was out of the store.

“OH NO.” Papyrus said watching his brother dart off into the snow before pulling out his phone to call Undyne to help him look for the other skeleton. 

\--

What was he running from? Where was he running to? Sans didn’t know either but he did know one thing, seeing that man made him want to do it. For the first time in years, he wanted to run, not cower as far as he could within himself hoping to make himself so small that nothing could touch him. The snow fell in large flakes that moved too slow for San’s liking as he darted off to where he could. He needed to be safe, and warm. Being both of those were good. 

He just wasn’t paying attention until he ran into something very solid. Was it a wall? He looked up to see a very tall woman. She had white fur covering her face and was dressed in purple. He started backup slowly. Toriel crouched down low, much lower than her large frame should have allowed. She knew what this was, simply because she didn’t know of any other monster in the other ground who was like this. 

“Lets get you back to your home.” She said gently, reaching a furry hand out to Sans so he would have the chance to see what she was. She didn’t smell like chemicals or shadows. 

She smelt of fire and grass and earth in its pure form instead of tainted by man-made construction. “Its far too cold for you to be out here.” she huffed a little, she the smiled. “It would chill you to the bones.”

It was amazing about how something as simple as that could change things. A little joke, nothing too stressful. The skeleton-dog near her snorted a little bit. 

“I am Toriel, and I am here to meet your family. Would you please take me back to your home?” It was odd to ask to be led instead of leading as the skeletal creature in front of her turned around and started to head back into town. Where the first thing that hit Toriel’s senses were screaming.

“BROTHER?! WHERE ARE YOU?!” She never knew any skeleton to have the lungs to scream like that.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello, it is I, MDDGaster on the Tumblr webs. I have finally gotten an AO3 account for people who prefer this method of fics being uploaded. 
> 
> I am not good at this, so if you have suggestions for tags and such, please tell me and I'll add them on. I'll also add tags as I write them into my fic?


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